The Center - New York, founded in 2000, is an environmental organization dedicated to protecting the environment, enhancing human, animal and plant ecologies, promoting the efficient use of natural resources and expanding participation in the environmental movement.

Monday, March 15, 2010

RGGI CO2 AUCTIONS YIELD MILLIONS FOR INVESTMENT IN CLEAN ENERGY, JOB CREATION Current Control Period Allowances Sold at $2.07 Future Control Period Allowances Sold at $1.86

The states participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)has announced the results of the first quarterly auction of carbon dioxide (CO2) allowances in 2010. The auction, held Wednesday, March 10th, yielded $87,956,944.56 for investment in the clean energy economy. All of the 40,612,408 CO2 allowances for the first three-year control period (2009-2011) offered in Wednesday’s auction sold at a price of $2.07.

In a parallel offering, the RGGI states also auctioned CO2 allowances for the second three-year control period (2012-2014). A total of 2,091,000 of the 2,137,992 CO2 allowances for the second control period sold at a price of $1.86. Unsold allowances may be sold in future auctions according to each state’s regulations. Proceeds from all auctions held to date now total more than $582.3 million.

States are investing proceeds to improve energy efficiency and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy technologies, creating thousands of jobs. With each successful auction, the RGGI states continue to show that cap-and-trade works and can jumpstart a green economy with fewer emissions, lower electric bills and more jobs. Across the region, businesses are hiring workers to implement the growing variety of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs funded with RGGI CO2 allowance proceeds.

Energy auditing and weatherization are just two of many technical services needed to build a clean energy economy. RGGI state investments in energy efficiency also create jobs in design, manufacturing and technology development. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, every one million dollar investment in building weatherization creates more than 50 jobs in the installation of weatherization measures and another 10 to 20 jobs in the production of energy-efficient building materials.

Maryland recently invested $750,000 of RGGI CO2 allowance proceeds to provide energy efficiency-related job training to more than 600 contractors at 13 community colleges across the state. The Home Energy Retrofit and Weatherization Workforce Training Program, established in part by the state’s investment of RGGI proceeds, offers a "one-stop" training source for any energy retrofit career path in the state, including contractors working with local weatherization agencies and Maryland’s utility providers.

Similarly, New York State is investing RGGI proceeds to train hundreds of workers needed to improve the efficiency of homes and businesses to meet the state's aggressive energy efficiency targets. As part of its $112 million investment in building sector energy efficiency improvements and job training the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) will partner with constituency-based organizations, community colleges, unions and other groups to build and expand training and certification programs for emerging workers, building remodelers, HVAC technicians, energy auditors and engineers.

Center President Norris McDonald delivered the keynote address at the 15th Annual Conference on Environmental Issues today in the Founder's Auditorium at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York. Approximately 25o people attended the auditorium presentation. The conference was co-sponsored by Con Edison. McDonald stated that this was one of the most inspiring events he has ever participated in and noted that the questions were the best in his 30 year career.

Medgar Evers College initiate this public service event, dubbed the Annual Environmental Issues Conference in March 1996. This conference has become an imporatnt venue for disseminating environmental information to the public and for environmental professionals to interact with students and community members. Today they focused on greening of the academic curriculum. The hope to demonstrate a link between a green inspired curriculum and a green economy.

Message from the Conference Chairperson

"While we in the colleges are developing a green inspired curriculum we must safeguard against any perception of "green" as yet another gimmick. The curriculum must stress the real-world connection of green with healthier communities, more energy efficient homes and environmental sustainability."

Friday, March 12, 2010

New York University today released its Climate Action Plan (CAP), a comprehensive approach to reducing the University’s carbon footprint and enhancing its overall sustainability. NYU’s CAP details the University’s current greenhouse gas inventory, lays out specific and effective projects to mitigate these emissions using current fiscally sound technologies while maintaining NYU’s vital teaching, learning, and research missions.

The full report can be found at: The development of NYU’s Climate Action Plan was spurred on by the signing of two separate commitments to mitigate climate change: Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC Climate Challenge, and the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).

* PlaNYC Climate Challenge: NYU will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions per square foot by 30 percent from FY 2006 levels by FY 2017. This commitment offers a framework to reduce emissions in an immediate, ambitious and tangible way.

* ACUPCC: NYU commits to a goal of achieving “climate neutrality” (i.e. net zero emissions) by FY 2040. This will be accomplished by upgrading University buildings through efficiency and conservation, generating cleaner on-site and renewable energy, fostering behavioral shifts and culture change, planning for green building, and offsetting remaining emissions.

NYU’s CAP is structured around four major emissions reduction strategies:

1. Reduce Energy Intensity-50 percent of NYU’s climate neutrality goal: NYU will reduce the amount of energy used in buildings through conservation, “green” construction and renovation, retrofits and upgrades, and operational innovations to run buildings more effectively. In the coming years, NYU will set Energy Use Index (EUI) targets, which will help prioritize buildings to retrofit in order to maximize emissions reductions. This strategy will encompass the largest share of NYU’s emissions reductions, while also accounting for the University’s physical growth. Initial efforts have already resulted in 20% emissions cuts.

2. Generate and Use Cleaner Energy-30 percent of NYU’s climate neutrality goal: NYU will generate cleaner energy on-site with an upgraded and expanded cogeneration power plant. Starting this year, the new plant will annually mitigate 23 percent of NYU’s baseline FY 2006 emissions. NYU will also minimize the use of fuel oil to heat buildings, replacing it where possible with cleaner, more efficient energy sources.

3. Generate Renewable Energy-10 percent of NYU’s climate neutrality goal: NYU is exploring options to develop on-site distributed renewable energy generation projects on its buildings, including wind and solar technologies. NYU sees immediate potential for viable projects offering a positive return on investment using current technologies and through support by state and federal incentives.

4. Reduce / Offset Remaining Emissions-10 percent of NYU’s climate neutrality goal: Given the constraints of a dense urban environment, it is likely that NYU will purchase high-quality, credible offsets to accomplish long-term climate goals. The University will seek out transparent, local-based offsetting programs that offer added social, environmental, and educational value.

About New York University: New York University is located in the heart of Greenwich Village. Founded in 1831, it is one of America’s foremost research universities and a member of the selective Association of American Universities. It is one of the largest private universities, it is a leader in attracting international students and scholars in the U.S, and it sends more students to study abroad than any other U.S. college or university. Through its 14 schools and colleges, NYU conducts research and provides education in the arts and sciences, law, medicine, business, dentistry, education, nursing, the cinematic and performing arts, music and studio arts, public administration, social work, and continuing and professional studies, among other areas.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

iMoveGREEN, the country’s only moving company in EPA's Green Power Partnership is open for business this week. The sister endeavor to iStoreGreen launched successfully in 2008, iMoveGREEN employs eco-friendly systems, materials and programs that aim to avoid excesses, while efficiently and affordably executing relocations. A promising and progressive evolution of veteran moving company, Meyer’s Moving & Storage, iMoveGREEN repurposes the organization’s 25 year industry experience; converting it for the “conservational” era with intentions of hope and humanity.

So what makes a moving company green …? Beyond offering its customers biodegradable packing materials and reusable plastic boxes for transport, the iMoveGREEN business facility is appropriately powered by 100% renewable wind energy; drastically decreasing company fossil fuel use. Proving further environmentally conscience, the corporation adheres to an eco-friendly cleaning code, by which company vehicles are washed solely with recycled water and entirely green washing supplies; keeping chemicals from infiltrating the air. All surveyors drive a hybrid Toyota Prius, and an advanced recycling initiative is underway for the renewal of discarded moving materials and office waste.

The Nature Conservancy and iMoveGREEN have created a partnership where a percentage of proceeds from each move are allocated to the planting of trees in the Brazilian rainforest. Next are the “Green education” programs established to edify employees; further offering them wholesale rates on the purchase of eco-friendly items like CFL and LED light bulbs, recycled paper towels, coffee mugs and green cleaning products.

A Green Starter Kit is presented to each new customer; inclusive of a reusable tote, coffee mug, green-living brochure and housewarming plant. In efforts to ensure service is as good as it is green, the kit contains a client satisfaction survey, for which every one returned means an additional tree is planted in the Brazilian Rainforest. Such surveys and all additional marketing materials are printed on recycled paper using strictly soy ink.

iMoveGREEN is an EPA certified, fully-licensed and insured moving company specializing in domestic and international relocations, trade-show transport, office moves and more. The organization exhibits seasonally at New York’s GoGreenExpo. The home office of iMoveGREEN is 370 Concord Avenue, Bronx NY.